Laundry for 1/6 the price!

Get excited. 

Today I made my own homemade laundry detergent for pennies, and it was SO easy!  I made a two year supply (115 weeks at five loads a week- I normally do four) for SIX DOLLARS AND THIRTY THREE CENTS. 

That's right $6.33 for a two year supply. 

And it took me five minutes.

Here's what you do.  Buy:

• 
  
  1 box of Borax (in the laundry aisle) $2.79
• 
  
  1 box of WASHING soda (NOT baking soda- though it is a yellow box made by Arm & Hammer.  It's also in the laundry aisle) $2.05
• 
  
  A least one bar of Fels-Naptha or Ivory Soap.  Fels-Naptha is recommended, but if you can't find it then use Ivory.  I bought 16 4.5 oz bars for $5.80.

Then shave or grate your soap.  I used my cheap-o food processor. Mix it all together! 
To make one batch, which is 64 loads, use 8 oz Borax, 4 oz of Washing Soda and 3 oz of soap.  (I made nine batches- one box Borax, 2.5 lbs Washing Soda, and 6 4.5 oz bars of Ivory) 
I poured about a pound and a half into a mixing bowl and added lavender essential oil, which I had on hand, for my sheets and towels.  Then I poured this mix into a gallon size bag.

Use ONE TABLESPOON in your washer.  THAT'S ALL. It will not get sudsy or bubble.  That's okay.  Your clothes will get clean and for 1/6 the price. 

One load of laundry (one tablespoon) cost ONE CENT.  This is compared to 6.7 cents I was paying for Arm & Hammer. 

Or for another perspective, I would have paid $38.59 for 576 loads of Arm & Hammer and instead paid $6.33 for my homemade stuff!